Footwear with aligned tensile restraints

Abstract

A shoe may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may include a shell and first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints. Each of the sets may have one or more tensile restraints extending over and/or through a corresponding portion of the shell. The shell may be engaged with the sole structure and define an interior void configured to receive insertion of a user's foot. The first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints may be configured so that, upon securing of one or more structures to tighten the upper and connect the sets of tensile restraints, two linear axes of tension with anchors located in the forefoot and heel region extend diagonally across the article from one side to the other.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An article of footwear, comprising:
 a sole structure; and 
 an upper including a shell, one or more laces, and first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints, each of the sets having one or more tensile restraints extending over and/or through a corresponding portion of the shell, and wherein 
 the shell is engaged with the sole structure and defines an interior void configured to receive insertion of a user's foot, 
 the shell includes first lace retainers on a medial side of an instep region, second lace retainers on a lateral side of the instep region, third lace retainers on the medial side of the instep region rearward of the first and second lace retainers, and fourth lace retainers on the lateral side the instep region rearward of the first and second lace retainers, 
 the one or more tensile restraints of the first set are coupled to a first anchor region located in a medial forefoot portion of the article and to the first lace retainers, 
 the one or more tensile restraints of the second set are coupled to a second anchor region located in a lateral forefoot portion of the article and to the second lace retainers, 
 the one or more tensile restraints of the third set are coupled to a third anchor region located in a medial heel portion of the article and to the third lace retainers, and 
 the one or more tensile restraints of the fourth set are coupled to a fourth anchor region located in a lateral heel portion of the article and to the fourth lace retainers, and 
 each of the first lace retainers is directly connected by a segment of the one or more laces with one of the fourth lace retainers, each of the fourth lace retainers is directly connected by a segment of the one or more laces with one of the first lace retainers, each of the second lace retainers is directly connected by a segment of the one or more laces with one of the third lace retainers, and each of the third lace retainers is directly connected by a segment of the one or more laces with one of the second lace retainers, 
 wherein 
 each of the tensile restraints of the first set is directly attached to one of the first lace retainers, 
 each of the tensile restraints of the second set is directly attached to one of the second lace retainers, 
 each of the tensile restraints of the third set is directly attached to one of the third lace retainers, and 
 each of the tensile restraints of the fourth set is directly attached to one of the fourth lace retainers. 
 
     
     
       2. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tensile restraints of the first, second, third, and fourth sets extend to a lower edge of the shell. 
     
     
       3. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tensile restraints of the first, second, third, and fourth sets extend to the sole structure. 
     
     
       4. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the tensile restraints is bonded to the shell. 
     
     
       5. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the tensile restraints extends through a corresponding tunnel formed in the shell. 
     
     
       6. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the first lace retainers is formed, with a different pair of the tensile restraints of the first set, from a single continuous strand, 
 each of the second lace retainers is formed, with a different pair of the tensile restraints of the second set, from a single continuous strand, 
 each of the third lace retainers is formed, with a different pair of the tensile restraints of the third set, from a single continuous strand, and 
 each of the fourth lace retainers is formed, with a different pair of the tensile restraints of the fourth set, from a single continuous strand. 
 
     
     
       7. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first set includes multiple tensile restraints, each of the tensile restraints of the first set corresponding to a different one of the first lace retainers, 
 the second set includes multiple tensile restraints, each of the tensile restraints of the second set corresponding to a different one of the second lace retainers, 
 the third set includes multiple tensile restraints, each of the tensile restraints of the third set corresponding to a different one of the third lace retainers, and 
 the fourth set includes multiple tensile restraints, each of the tensile restraints of the fourth set corresponding to a different one of the fourth lace retainers. 
 
     
     
       8. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the tensile restraints includes a loop in a terminal end and is coupled to a corresponding one the lace retainers by forming at least a portion of the corresponding lace retainer. 
     
     
       9. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein
 the shell includes reinforced zones in the instep region, each of the reinforced zones having a rigidity greater than a rigidity of adjacent portions of the shell, 
 each of the lace retainers is formed in one of the reinforced zones, and each of the tensile restraints is attached to one of the reinforced zones. 
 
     
     
       10. An article of footwear, comprising:
 a sole structure; and 
 an upper including a shell and first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints, each of the sets having one or more tensile restraints extending over and/or through a corresponding portion of the shell, and wherein 
 the shell is engaged with the sole structure and defines an interior void configured to receive insertion of a user's foot, 
 the one or more tensile restraints of the first set are coupled to a first anchor region located in a medial forefoot portion of the article and to a forward part of a medial side of an instep region of the shell, 
 the one or more tensile restraints of the second set are coupled to a second anchor region located in a lateral forefoot portion of the article and to a forward part of a lateral side of the instep region, 
 the one or more tensile restraints of the third set are coupled to a third anchor region located in a medial heel portion of the article and to a rear part of the medial side of the instep region, 
 the one or more tensile restraints of the fourth set are coupled to a fourth anchor region located in a lateral heel portion of the article and to a rear part of the lateral side of the instep region, and 
 the first, second, third, and fourth sets are configured so that, upon cinching of lace segments connecting the medial and the lateral sides of the instep region, two linear axes of tension with anchors located in the forefoot and heel region extend diagonally across the article from one side to the other; 
 wherein each of the tensile restraints is a strand comprising one or more filaments and/or fibers. 
 
     
     
       11. The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the tensile restraints is bonded to the shell. 
     
     
       12. The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the tensile restraints extends through a corresponding tunnel formed in the shell.